See No Evil
by kaleidoscopeepocsodielak
Summary: There's something mysterious surrounding a handheld game that has been collecting dust on an antique shop's shelf for decades. When Patty picks it up the first time, it changes her completely, but is it an artificial intelligence as Mulder believes, a case of psychosis as Scully claims, or something far darker? Watch out for spoilers. Surprise appearances happen in later chapters


Patty Nickels carried a beige Armanti purse over her left shoulder. When she first found out that it was only an imitation of the name brand she craved to possess, her fury was immeasurable. Once she realized how much less she spent on a bag that looked exactly like the real thing, with the exception of the "t" in the logo, Patty decided that complaining would be a mere waste of time. She could spend the money she saved on something even better.

Along the main street of Glendive, Montana, she peered into shop windows, looking for anything that might interest her. Having come to this city to visit family last week, Patty felt that she had not shopped in such a long time. All the stores were so nondescript, she wept internally. None of the fancy boutiques or salons had followed her there. They had defiantly remained in New York City. At that moment, she decided to convince her sister and brother-in-law to move somewhere more civilized.

Just as Patty thought to give up on her shopping venture, one unique building stuck out like pink nail polish on a football player. A grotesque gargoyle stuck out over the green, wooden door. Engraved into the side of this stone beast were the words, "LUMINITSA'S ANTIQUE SHOPPE." Strange music played inside. She had only heard something like it from a foreign film produced in Romania. The actors had not been any good, but the music was so enchanting. It drew her in like a mouse to the piper.

The jingle of a bell signaled her entrance. A wrinkly old woman who must have been ancient as spoken language greeted her with a toothless grin. "You wanta buy sumsing?" she asked in an accent so thick, Patty took back everything she said about Montana residents speaking unintelligibly.

"No," Patty replied. The grin on the old woman disappeared. "I just want to browse."

"Maybe you find sumsing you like."

With that, Patty left the woman behind to examine the different shelves and collections. There were thick books priced at 50 cents each, which would have tempted Patty if they had been written by Stephanie Meyer or some other sappy author. Most of them were worn down science fiction novels. "Ick!" she exclaimed as she discarded one with the picture of a grey alien. Next she found a few quaint light fixtures which would have gone into her shopping basket if Patty had not remembered she needed to be able to fit it into her luggage and check it at the airport. No matter how many "fragile" stickers she applied to the bags, Patty just knew the glass would shatter once airport officials got their meaty hands on them.

At each turn, Patty would find something else intriguing and then decide against a purchase. Decorative spoons were for old people like the shop keeper. The puzzles probably had at least three pieces missing. She had no reason to purchase delft no matter how attractive the blue and white dishes looked to her. Then she found it. It must have been the first handheld game ever produced. She pressed the "on" button and listened to the digital tones signal its functionality. Barely suppressing a laugh, Patty watched as the game Pong began. She lost the first few games but then figured out how to work the controls. After some effort on her part, she won.

_Mom would go crazy over this,_ Patty thought. Finding a relic such as this was better than any find she had hoped for. After rotating the handheld, Patty held a confused countenance. Nowhere on the device had the shopkeeper placed a price tag or sticker. That made no sense. She took the Pong game to the counter and asked for the price.

"You no want that," the old woman responded. "Buy candles instead. They light way."

"No one uses candles anymore," Patty objected. "I want this. How much?"

After a considerable amount of confusing disagreement, Patty picked up an iron poker and swung it. The old woman's head split open, spilling blood all over her wooden floor. Patty watched with hungry eyes as the irritating woman slumped over, dead. Patty took the bloody poker and Pong game with her as she exited the antique shop, humming as she went. The game console pinged and ponged as if content with its new owner's actions.

Little did Patty or Pong know, in a few short days, two FBI agents would soon be on the trail.


End file.
